Sony has reportedly patented technology that will prevent the use of second hand games on consoles.

According to NeoGAF member gofreak, the patent application was filed on 9 December 2012 by Sony Computer Entertainment Japan, and will work by linking individual game discs to a user's account without requiring a network connection meaning any future attempt to use this disc on another user's console won't work.

The use permission tag stores the terms of use of the game and determines whether a combination of the disc ID and the player ID conveyed from the reproduction device fulfils the terms of use or not.

The patent explains that games will come with contactless tags that will be read by your console in much the same way as modern bank cards. When a disc is first used, the disc ID and player ID will be stored on the tag. Every time the disc is used in future, the tag will check if the two ID’s match up and, if not, then the disc won’t work.

The document goes on to explain that such a device is part of Sony's ongoing efforts to deter second-hand games sales, and is a far simpler solution than always-on DRM or passwords.

It's worth noting that Sony has not confirmed the existence of the device, and the patent doesn't state what machine it will be used in, with later paragraphs also mentioning accessories and peripherals.

It does raise some concerns though. Firstly, the impact on game rental stores would be catastrophic as surely this means they'd no longer be able to do business? Given publishers' usual desire to keep retailers sweet by not undercutting them on prices and the like, this would be an unusual move.

There's also the issue of what happens should your console break and need replacing, or if you have more than one console. Will the games be linked to your PSN account, meaning they can still be used, or the console, meaning an entire new library of titles would need to be purchased?

IGN reached out to Sony for comment but was told the company doesn't comment on rumour and speculation.

Well that would be a giant PITA, because I have about 4 games that my friend let me borrow since I'm cheap lol. And I bought MW3 and a AC3 2nd hand. I would have a hard time justifying $65+++ for a game if I couldn't turn around a few months/year later and get some cash back on it on the other end.

A new report is suggesting that Sony will ditch the DualShock controller for the PS4 and instead create a new one possibly containing a LCD touch screen or even biometrics.

An unnamed source spoke to CVG and claimed that many of the controllers currently being tested by Sony's R&D department mark a rapid departure from the loyal DualShock, which has served PlayStation consoles for 16 years.

These versions apparently include new additions ranging from an integrated LCD touch screen to biometric sensors on the grips. A second source explained that Sony was supposedly trying to emulate the UI philosophies behind the Vita, and this is what inspired the whole touch screen thing.

We've also heard previously about a version that incorporates the PlayStation move into the traditional DualShock design, which it seems could still be a possibility given the claims of multiple prototypes.

Until Sony announces anything, it's best to take all of this with a huge pinch of salt. Having said that, even if the above does turn out to be true, it seems unlikely that the company would write-off the DualShock completely. It's much more likely that they'd still be able to be used as bog-standard controllers in a similar manner to how Wii Remotes still work with Nintendo's Wii U, with suped-up versions featuring some of the additions mentioned also available.

This is the latest rumour in what's been a busy couple of months for leaks linked to the next-gen consoles. Former AMD execs have been in trouble for allegedly sharing highly-sensitive details about them, dev kits have surfaced all over the place and Sony is meant to be taking steps to prevent you playing second hand games on it's next box.

With so many leaks coming thick and fast, surely it won't be long until Sony and Microsoft step out of the shadows to set the record straight once and for all?

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The likelihood is that Sony will INCORPORATE these features into a DualShock controller and end up calling it the 'DualShock 4'. It makes sense for brand continuity.

Way back in May 2011, Sony Computer Entertainment America filed a United States patent application for the “Hybrid Separable Motion Controller,” which in layman’s terms is a DualShock and PlayStation Move in one. Yesterday, the patent was approved.

The eagle eyes over at thesixthaxis spotted the patent and posted the PDF, but the general idea is that you’re getting a DualShock with a PlayStation Move orb on each side. From there, the controller breaks in half via magnets so that you can wave your arms for your favorite PlayStation Move-enabled game. Each half of the controller has its own speaker, accelerometer, vibration option and so on.

Look at all the fun he's having!

No word on what device the controller is intended for – PS3 or the ever-rumored PS4/Orbis – but CVG.com points out that the patent “also shows a Cell/RSX configuration on one slide, suggesting that the device is likely to be related to a current platform, if it is in fact even planned for release.”

And there’s the important snippet – if it’s planned for release. Sony patents stuff all the time and doesn’t use it, so don’t run out to preorder the controller yet. When reached for comment, a Sony rep said "Unfortunately, we do not comment on patents."

Would you even buy this thing? Let us know in the comments below, and thanks to IGN reader Jordan Bird for tipping us off to this whole thing.

Over the last year, AMD executives have been abandoning ship for rival Nvidia, and according to a new lawsuit, they took confidential information about the Xbox 720 and PlayStation 4 with them. Engadget reports that AMD has filed suit against four ex-employees, claiming that the executives absconded with thousands of confidential documents, including sensitive information about technologies at use in next-gen consoles. As our well-placed sources told us last year, custom silicon based on AMD's A8-series APU and HD 7670 GPU will be used in the PlayStation 4, while the Xbox 720 will combine an IBM PowerPC CPU and a custom version of AMD's 6670 GPU.

The lawsuit targets the former VP of AMD's Strategic Division, Robert Feldstein, who played a key role in developing custom hardware for game consoles like the Xbox 360, Wii, and Wii U. AMD claims that he and others transfered 100,000 files that contain trade secrets related to development, based on "forensically-recovered data" that indicates the executive used external storage devices on his company computer before his departure. What's more, Feldstein and Richard Hagen, another AMD executive, lured two other employees to Nvidia.

With Nvidia seemingly edged out of the upcoming console generation, Feldstein could be the key to regaining a role in future console hardware. Whether or not he has or will use proprietary data stolen from AMD to help achieve that goal remains to be seen.

I sincerely hope that Sony changes direction in their hardware choices for Orbis. AMD is significantly behind in development of their processors in comparison to Intel. If I am going to invest money in a new platform, I want it to be hardware that will not be immediately outdated. AMD also runs significantly hotter that Intel and we know what that does to gaming platforms. NO YLODs for me.
BANG

interesting indeed but we all remember how the "boomerang" controller was quickly changed. not that im against change but they really have to ocme up with something similar to the DS we know today atleast when held, nothing feels better then that in the hands for gaming.

this also came to mind and the folks at sony should look to capitalize on it, use the vita as the next gen controller, drop the price eventually when the PS4 hits and make it that much better. we're already getting iterations of this via the PS3/Vita crossover stuff but this makes sense to me entirely

this also came to mind and the folks at sony should look to capitalize on it, use the vita as the next gen controller, drop the price eventually when the PS4 hits and make it that much better. we're already getting iterations of this via the PS3/Vita crossover stuff but this makes sense to me entirely

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Agreed. If they bundled a PS4 with a Vita then World Peace would be cured. Thing is, they won't bundle them. Vita might end up doubling up as a controller though, with more interaction than Remote Play.

You may have noticed that there are lots of rumours flying about regarding next-gen consoles. No one knows definitely when Microsoft and Sony will unveil their successors to the current Xbox and PlayStation, but Sony CEO Kazuo Hirai has said that it will let Microsoft make the first move.

Sony CEO, Kaz Hirai

In the Business section of The Times today, Hirai said, "Why go first, when your competitors can look at your specifications and come up with something better?"

With Nintendo already out the next-gen blocks with the Wii U, can Sony hold its bottle until the Microsoft announces? Surely his comments are slightly disingenuous, since there would be relatively little scope for changing the specs of the PlayStation this late in its development cycle. It's more likely that the additional time would be use to adjust the messaging surrounding the announcement.

Last week was a speculation rich week for the PlayStation 4, with reports that Sony will retire the DualShock controller.

While its current endeavour of Beyond: Two Souls may not even have a fixed release date yet, it seems Quantic Dream is wasting no time on starting its next project.

The French developer has registered the domain name for SingularityPS4.com (spotted by Kotaku). In the past, the company has registered both HeavyRainPS3.com and BeyondPS3.com, so it seems pretty likely that the studio is already working on creating a game called Singularity for Sony's PlayStation 4.

What's really interesting here though is the fact that the domain name has PS4 in it rather than Orbis. Despite rumours to the contrary, this suggests that Sony will be sticking with the 'PlayStation X' naming convention that's served it so well up to now.

The game's unlikely to retail with just the Singularity title though; thanks to the existence of the unsuccessful 2010 shooter, Activision holds all the rights to that name in multiple territories. As was the case with the Beyond domain though, just because a subtitle isn't present initially doesn't mean one won't be attached before the game is officially debuted.

Quantic Dream's current project, Beyond: Two Souls, stars actress Ellen Page and is expected to release sometime this year. Considering it's already been revealed that the script is 2,000 pages long though, it's probably not overly surprising that we haven't got a fixed date just yet.

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Does this negate 'Orbis' as a potential name for Sony's new console? Probably.

With E3 fast approaching, the floodgates for next-gen rumors are now open. Kotaku has secured new details about current PlayStation 4 development kits, offering insights into the system's potential power, controller, and unified user accounts.

According to 90 PDF documents reportedly secured by the site, the latest PlayStation 4 development kits issued for January 2013 include four dual-core AMD64 "Bulldozer" processors amounting to a total of eight CPU cores, an AMD R10xx GPU, four USB 3.0 ports, two Ethernet connections, a Blu-ray drive, a 160GB HDD, as well as HDMI and optical audio outputs. The information falls in line with recent rumors and prior development kit leaks. The site cautions that due to the fact that the specs are based on development hardware, the consumer-grade version of the system could differ.

The information comes by way of SuperDae, the same individual that leaked early images of Microsoft's Durango dev kits and even attempted to sell one on eBay last year.

Finally, Sony could allow multiple users to be logged into the system at any given time. According to a diagram used in the documents, each user will have localized saves and be able to log-in and associate their Sony Entertainment Network account to each additional controller. The benefit, Kotaku says, is if four people are playing local co-op, each can earn trophies as they progress.

Of course, with the leak based on development hardware and an official reveal likely months away, the final version of the system could be an entirely different beast by the time of release.

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The Internet was floated a new rumor that suggests that the next Playstation could be equipped with GPU switching technology.

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The rumor isn't that far-fetched since we previously heard that Sony will be using an AMD APU as well as a Southern Islands GPU in its next game console. A patent describing an automated GPU switching process provides further credibility that Sony is aiming for a flexible, power optimized GPU infrastructure for the PS4.

The patent application for "dynamic context switching between architecturally distinct graphics processors" was already filed back in 2009 and published in late 2010, which would indicate that it is not the latest information on Sony's development. The purpose of the GPU switching technology is summed up by the patent application authors as follows:

"It would be desirable to allow the context switching to be hidden from the user and performed automatically in the background. Unfortunately, no solution is presently available that allows for dynamic, real-time context switching between architecturally distinct GPUs. The closest prior art is the Apple MacBook Pro, from Apple Computer of Cupertino, Calif., which contains two architecturally distinct GPUs but does not allow dynamic context switches between them. Another prior art solution is the Scalable Link Interface (SLI) architecture developed by Nvidia Corporation of Santa Clara, Calif. This architecture lets a user run one or more GPUs in parallel, but only for the purpose of increasing performance, not to reduce power consumption. Also, this solution requires the two GPUs to be synchronized when the system is enabled, again requiring some amount of user intervention."

The document does not specify a target product for the technology, but the full automation without user interaction hints to a consumer device and not a notebook computer.

Sony recently filed several patent applications that may hint to the future PS4. Most interestingly, an application entitled "game device" and filed in September of this year reveals a game content screen that is much more focused on community interaction and appears to be much more dynamic that the current screen of the PS3.

Following yesterday’s Future of PlayStation tease from Sony, new rumors suggest that the PlayStation 4 will be announced this month, released this year and may even let players share videos and screenshots directly.

Anonymous sources have told both Polygon and The Wall Street Journal that the event will indeed be the announcement of Sony’s next console and that Sony is aiming to release the system before the end of the year. The Wall Street Journal suggests that Sony “is planning to incorporate more social gaming aspects into the new machine” and “is more focused this time on the changes in how users interact with the machine.”

Edge Online, meanwhile, also reports that the next PlayStation will be out before the end of the year in the U.S. and Japan (but early 2014 in Europe) and says it will be more powerful than the next console from Microsoft. The system will allegedly feature a redesigned controller, which fits with rumors of Sony abandoning the DualShock that circulated earlier this month. According to Edge, the system “will ship with a redesigned controller which is the same size as an existing DualShock but features a small touchpad in place of the existing Select, Start and PS buttons. The tech is based on Vita’s rear touchpad, and is similarly responsive in use."

Edge also refers to specific elements of the controller mentioned in a leaked list of specs last week. Specifically, Edge says Sony’s new controller will feature a Share button that will “launch a new feature that will allow screenshots and video to be distributed online.” The system will reportedly “continually record the most recent 15 minutes of onscreen action, which users will then be able to edit and broadcast via the Internet.”

For now, the future of PlayStation is uncertain, but Sony told IGN yesterday "The PlayStation meeting will be about the future of the PlayStation business." Our PlayStation team will attend Sony’s event in New York City later this month, so keep checking back for confirmed news as it’s announced.

Will we see a glimpse of GT6 on Feb. 20? As we already know, Sony is expected to announce it's next-gen console at their February 20 press conference, but what about next-gen games? Will we see the next Gran Turismo game?

Asahi Shimbun, one of Japan’s biggest newspapers, has run an interesting story – translated by The Verge -- indicating that the PlayStation 4 will cost over 40,000 Yen, or about $430/£270/€320.

The Verge puts this into context: PS3 cost approximately 60,000 Yen (nearly $650/£410/€480) in Japan when it launched in late 2006, and as we all know very well, it released at an outrageous $599/£425/€599 at that time.

So is this rumored price point good news? Yes, if it’s true. A 40,000 Yen price point in Japan indicates that PlayStation 4 may launch in the west at around $400/£300/€350, or $200/£125/€150 less than PS3 cost in 2006. However, this is all speculation; we hope to have plenty of hard facts following Sony’s event in New York City on February 20, which IGN will attend.

The newspaper report also indicates, according to The Verge, that the PlayStation 4 will launch in Japan and the US in 2013 (no mention of Europe indicates that the console won’t launch there until 2014) and that the DualShock 4 – or whatever it will be called – is “roughly the same shape” as the DualShock 3 currently used with the PlayStation 3.

We’ve reached out to Sony for official comment on Asahi Shimbun’s story, and will update when we hear back.

Important Update: A trusted source has told IGN that this controller is real. However, our source notes that it's an early prototype. The controller, in other words, is likely to change between now and when the console launches.

Sony has responded to our inquiry to note that it "can't comment on rumors or speculation", its typical response. We'll almost certainly find out what the final controller looks like at the PlayStation event in NYC on February 20.

The original story is below.

We finally have an actual picture of what the PlayStation 4 controller looks like, at least in prototype form (see the above "Important Update" for more on that). The picture comes by way of Destructoid, which posted the picture taken from an unknown source.

There’s a lot of familiar stuff on the controller along with a litany of new and interesting features. For starters, the directional pad (d-pad) on the left seems to feature meatier, bulkier buttons that are put closer together than on DualShock 3. The face buttons on the right side of the controller seem standard.

The analog sticks look to be a bit further apart, though they remain level, unlike the Xbox 360 controller's unevenly placed sticks. However, the sticks themselves are concave, like the Xbox 360’s. PlayStation 3’s controller includes convex analog sticks.

The much-rumored touch pad – a la the back of PlayStation Vita – appears at the center of the controller. There’s a small, mystery button to the left of the pad, above and to the right of the d-pad. Is this the rumored share button? Or is it a start or select button, both conspicuously absent from this version of the controller?

Meanwhile, there’s a glowing “something” on the top of the controller – most likely PlayStation Move-related – as well as a PlayStation button seemingly identical to the one on the PS3 controller. Above the PlayStation button appears to be a speaker, and what looks to be an audio jack is underneath the controller, perhaps used to plug in a headset.

We've reached out to Sony for official comment and will update when we hear back.

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The picture of the new controller:

This is completely legitimate, however, it is only a prototype, so we're likely to see a different controller for the official unvileing of the PS4, which is speculated to be February 20th.